Gaskill – Special Weapons (75orless Records)
The follow up to 2015’s The End of the World and Our War albums (the latter their tribute to Black Flag), Special Weapons is a five-song EP that sees the New Bedford, MA unit solider forward in their primal crossover hardcore/thrash sonic blend that keeps things pure and true. One minute the band channel inner Danzig or early Life of Agony for “Small Cake”, and the next swiftly kick rear-ends in D.R.I. meets Nuclear Assault madness during “Slow Crows”. Expect raw emotion, in your face punchy tones, guitar riffs that crawl out of your speakers to attack, and true half-time doomy transitions without forcing the ‘breakdown’ while vocalist Kevin Grant floats his psychedelic, forceful delivery into your soul. Proof that crossover contains potency even in 2018.

If you pay attention to our Facebook page then you know we were so enamored by all the bands at the recent record release show for Death Kiss Volume 2 that we decided that we HAD to do a feature on all the current Bandcamp discogs from the bands that performed at the show.

But GASKILL just put out a new record. So we decided that we’d feature that instead. And still talk about their Bandcamp discography.

But I digress.

Believe it or not, my first exposure to GASKILL was the track they contributed to the latest Death Kiss compilation (Which you can read all about by clicking here). Once again, Mary Frances can pat herself on the back knowing she brought to light another local gem to, not just to me, but to so many others through the comp and her show on WEMF. And in turn, I get to shed a little more light through my medium of communication. Circle of life and all that shit.

So “I Am The Spider” was my favorite on the comp and it closes up Special Weapons nicely here. Like I said on my initial take of the track, it’s like Jello Biafra fronting Anthrax….but boy does Kevin Grant have range beyond that. In fact, my FIRST impression was that of the second coming of Stompbox while live they definitely added elements of early Clutch to their repertoire.

In other words, GASKILL is a mutt. A glorious mutt made from the bestest of the best to create this musical beast/hound of beauty. If you go back through their discography (See! I told you I’d go there!) which dates back to 1996 (The band formed in 1995), the evolution into this multi-faceted behemoth that offers you new music today is obviously apparent.

“I Know Your Name” is blistering and intense and, much like their Black Flag covers album (Our War, available here), is also direct and to the point. With Kevin Grant’s voice stabbing at listeners as Dan Jagoda’s cacophonous drumming and Craig Fleming’s wall of noise guitar fuzz provide the perfect soundtrack of organized chaos.

“Small Cake” alters the tone vastly with a slow groove that rumbles along like molasses with Grant’s bellows echoing out and resonating, careening into an almost Danzig-esque chorus. “Salt” really lets Mario Costa’s bass barrage shine during a track that encapsulates some of the great noise of Boston yesteryear (Think Sam Black Church and Tree in particular) while “Slow Crows” is all crunchy and dirty and gritty and all the things until it becomes a thrashing rager.

And “I Am The Spider” closes it all up. And you already know how we feel about that one.

GASKILL formed in 1995 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, releasing 2 demos and the Granite Iron Oak album before going on hiatus in 2002. The band reformed in 2015 with Chris Helme on drums, releasing an album of new material, The End of the World, and an album of Black Flag covers (Our War).

Don’t know why, but I didn’t think that I’d like this debut album from Foul Weather Friend as much I do. It was an irrational fear because I run into my pal Bruce Humphrey at every show I’m excited about from here to Boston. We obviously have similar interests. What was I thinking — that Bruce was playing in a one of those country pop bands? In the words of Husker Du, “It makes no sense at all.” I popped in the biscuit and it kicks with a tune, “Halo Moon,” that is so good that I spent three months listening to that on repeat and didn’t bother with the rest of the record (sorry Bruce!). As the title suggests, it is ethereal and not far from a stone’s throw to stuff like The Yawpers with a Stones opening punch like punk rockers mining the roots. Lines like, “We’re so sway by the lunacy around us” sum up these times. I did eventually get to track two, being the responsible journalist that I occasionally am, to “Fences and Walls,” which is impossible to think of without mentioning the orangutan President we are all so lucky to have according to one Twitter account. “Fences and Walls” reminds me of Mathew Sweet fronting a band inspired by mod-era The Who mixed with Psychedelic Furs. “Let It Go” reminds me of the Goo Goo Dolls, before they sucked, as a ballad. It’s not quite Replacements level, but what is? “Girls of Wild Strawberries” sounds like you crushed Nick Lowe and Tommy Keene in a blender and poured the result over ice. “Happy Bubble” is the rocker with runner-up status to “You’re Love Won’t Leave Me Alone.” The closing, “No Use to You Now,” captures the defeated heartbreak of The Replacements with an indie rock swing.